PA Capitol Report: Top 10 Stories On Harrisburg/PA Politics Last Week

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else–

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Pennsylvania Society Weekend Stages A Comeback In NYC

— Inquirer: At Pennsylvania Society, Jockeying For 2024 Race For State Attorney General

— Governor’s Transition

— City & State PA: Shapiro To Be Sworn In As Next Governor Jan. 17

— Shapiro-Davis Names Members To 7 Transition Advisory Committees

— City & State PA: Everyone Gov.-Elect Shapiro Has Named To His New Team So Far

— PA Capital-Star: Shapiro Names Long-Time Assistant Dana Fritz Chief Of Staff

— PA Capital-Star: Rendell Fundraiser, Casey Campaign Manager Among Leaders Of Shapiro’s Inaugural Committee

— Inquirer Guest Essay: Josh Shapiro Ran Like A Moderate, He Should Govern Like One Too

— PA Capital-Star: Advocates: Shapiro Must Fix PA’s ‘Broken’ Unemployment System

— Politics PA: Fetterman, Shapiro Arrest Democratic Decline In Blue-Collar Southwest PA

— Bucks County Beacon Guest Essay: Environmental Issues Helped Power Democrats To Victory This Election –  Conservation Voters Of PA

— U.S. Senate Race

— TribLive/AP: PA Campaign Wild Card Fetterman Turns To Governing

— Inquirer: Fetterman Names Philly Organizer Joe Pierce State Director For U.S. Senate Office

— New Legislative Voting Districts

— Post-Gazette Guest Essay: How Changing Circumstances, Timeless Values Shaped PA’s New Legislative Voting Districts – Mark Nordenberg, Fmr Chair Of Legislative Reapportionment Commission

— November Election

— Politics PA: Fetterman, Shapiro Arrest Democratic Decline In Blue-Collar Southwest PA

— PennLive: PA Republicans Look Inward After Voters Quashed The Expected ‘Red Wave’

— Warren Times Editorial: Republicans Need Engaged Candidates

— Inquirer: Florida Governor Leads Ex-President In Early Poll Of PA Republican Voters

— AP: Non-Religious Voters Wield Clout, Tilt Heavily Democratic

— PA Capital-Star: Inside the Post-Election Review Designed To Give PA Voters More Confidence In The Results

— The Center Square: As PA Certifies, Audits Election, Lawsuits And A Deadlock May Slow It Down

— Spotlight PA: Unprecedented Number Of Recount Requests Delay Election Certification

— Citizens Voice: Luzerne County Election Board Certifies Nov. 8 Results

— Post-Gazette: Allegheny County Election Board Certifies 2022 Results; Deputies Called After Crowd Gets Raucous

— Altoona Mirror: Blair County Voters Ask Judge To Order Recount With No Evidence Of Errors

— TribLive: Judge Orders Machine Recounts In 4 Westmoreland Voting Precincts; Rejects Hand Review Of Each Ballot With No Evidence Of Fraud Or Errors

— Reading Eagle: Berks County Cannot Certify Election Results Due To Pending Recount Petitions

— Erie Times: Nearly 500 Votes Were Discovered To Be Uncounted From November General Election In Erie

— MCall – Paul Muschick: Republican Candidate For Governor Has Conceded, Why Hasn’t He Called On His Supporters To Drop Their Challenges?

— TribLive Editorial: Challenges And Certification Part Of Election Process

— Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout

— Erie Times: Why PA Activists See Capitol Reform Opportunities In 2023: ‘We’re Going After The System’

— York Dispatch: What Can We Expect From PA’s New House Freedom Caucus; Chair Of New Group Didn’t Respond To Requests For Comment, Nor Did Other Members

— AP: Election Certification Delays Few, But A ‘Test Run’ For 2024

— TribLive/PennLive: New Freedom Caucus Brings Its National Brand Of Conservatism To PA House

— Post-Gazette Guest Essay: PA Republicans Won’t Change – Lebanon Valley College Professor

— Inquirer: Florida Governor Leads Ex-President In Early Poll Of PA Republican Voters

— Spotlight PA: Rejecting Undated Mail Ballots Disproportionately Impacts Communities Of Color In PA, Data Shows

— PA’s Role In Assault On U.S. Capitol

— WPSU: Penn State May Create Visitors Code Of Conduct In Wake Of Canceled Proud Boys Founder’s Appearance

— State Constitutional Amendments

— Spotlight PA: Complete Guide To More Than 70 Proposed Amendments To State Constitution

— PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

— Inquirer – Andrew Maykuth: Winter Energy Bills Are Going Up, No Matter How You Heat Your Home [But Some Energy Prices May Be Peaking]

— PUC Alerts Consumers Utility Natural Gas Costs Will Be Going Up By As Much As 128%, Electric Costs Will Be Going Up By As Much As 34%; Both Driven By Cost Of Natural Gas On World Markets  [PaEN]

— WPSU: Heating Prices Could Bring Sticker Shock This Winter; Columbia Gas Price Takes Especially Dramatic Jump – 128%

— WESA: Duquesne Light Customers To See Some Electric Rates Increase By 20% This Winter [Due To Cost Of Natural Gas-Fired Generation]

— WNEP: Another Rate Increase For UGI Natural Gas Customers

— Wilkes-Barre Times: UGI To Pass On Higher Natural Gas Cost To Customers

— DEP Blog: Winterize Your Home To Save On Utility Bills

— TribLive: State Gasoline Tax Keeps PA Prices High Despite Nationwide Downward Trend, Analyst Says

— WPost: U.S. Gasoline Prices Plunge Toward $3 A Gallon As Demand For Oil Drops Worldwide  [AAA National Average: $3.47; PA Average: $3.93]

— WSJ: Gasoline Prices Are Dropping: Here’s How Much Lower They Might Go; Regional Differences Will Continue

— AP: Russia Rejects $60 A Barrel Cap On Its Oil, Warns Of Cutoffs

— Baker Hughes PA Natural Gas Drilling Rig Count Same As Last Week – 22

— Pittsburgh Business Times: EQT’s Toby Rice Calls For ‘Unleashing LNG’ Natural Gas To Solve Climate Problem, End Poverty Other Societal Ills

— Bloomberg: EQT Gets Antitrust Request Over $5.2 Billion Appalachia Natural Gas Deal

— Reuters: Texas Freeport LNG Natural Gas Plant Delays Restart After Explosion To Year’s End

— PA/Harrisburg Politics Potpourri

— PA Capital-Star: With No Majority, PA House Democrats, Republicans Fighting Over Who Calls The Shots

— Spotlight PA: In Tussle Over Which Party Controls State House, Parties Clash Over Math, Precedent

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: PA House Republican Leader Accuses Democrats Of ‘Paperwork Insurrection’

— AP: Republican House Speaker Sets Feb. 7 Special Election For The Late Rep. DeLuca’s Seat

— Post-Gazette: PA House Republicans, Democrats End Legislative Session With Spat Over Special Election For DeLuca’s Seat

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Setting Special Election Touches Off Power Struggle In PA House

— MCall – Ford Turner: Power Struggle For Control Of PA House Complicates Route To Passing Legislation

— York Dispatch: What Can We Expect From PA’s New House Freedom Caucus; Chair Of New Group Didn’t Respond To Requests For Comment, Nor Did Other Members

— PennLive – John Baer: Think PA Politics Settles Down After Relatively Calm Midterm Elections? Ha!

— TribLive/PennLive: Sen. John Gordner (R-Columbia) Resigns To Take New Position As Counsel To President Pro Tempore Kim Ward

— PA Capital-Star: Special Election To Fill Sen. Gordner’s Seat Set For Jan. 31

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Rep. Lynda Schlegel Culver Announces Run For Gordner Senate Seat

— MCall – Paul Muschick: $7,400 Raises For PA Lawmakers?  The System Is Broken When Politicians Profit From Inflation

— PA Capital-Star: Reformers Summit Seeks Solutions To State Government’s Woes

— WHYY: Fmr State Senator Milton Street Dies At 83

— Post-Gazette: More Candidates Announce Runs For PA Supreme, Appellate Courts

— Impeachment Of Philly DA

— PA Capital-Star: House Presents Philly DA Impeachment Articles To Senate, Trial To Begin In January

— PA Capital-Star: State Senate Approves Impeachment Trial Rules For Philly DA

— PA Capital-Star: PA Senate Set To Begin Constitutional Role In Philly DA Impeachment

— Post-Gazette: Is Possible Impeachment Of Philly DA A Political Power Grab Or A Lawful Check On Policies?

— AP: Philly DA Sues To Stop Republican State Lawmakers From Removing Him

— Scranton Times Editorial: Reserve Impeachment For Misconduct, Not Political Stunts

— Budget 2023

— Dept. Of Revenue Reports November State Tax Collections 6.8% $201.9 Million Below Estimates; Still $183.2 Million Above Estimates For Fiscal Year

— Independent Fiscal Office Reports November State Revenue Was 4.5% $129 Million Below Its Estimates; Still $731.8 Million Above Estimates For Fiscal Year

— COVID Pandemic/Health

— Centre Daily Times: PA Had 116 COVID Deaths, 1,269 Hospitalizations, 10,730 New Cases Last Week; Mercer County Remains At High Rate Of Communication For COVID

— Erie Times: Erie County Sees Surge In COVID Deaths, Drop In Cases

— PennLive: PA Registers Highest Flu Count In Years, With Surge Weeks Early

— Inquirer Editorial: Fighting The Spread Of Viruses And Lies

— WHYY: Commonwealth Court Dismisses Anti-Mask Mandate Lawsuits Against School Districts

— School Districts/Higher Education

— Inquirer: New PA Standardized Test Scores Show Students Haven’t Rebounded Since Pandemic

— Erie Times: Banned Books: School Libraries Are Another Battleground In Culture Wars In PA, Nationwide

— WITF: Ephrata Public Library Zeroed Out In Akron Borough’s Budget, Gets Public Support At Council Meeting

— Gun Violence/Law Enforcement

— TribLive Editorial: More Work Needed On Mental Health Capacity To Stand Trial

— PA Economy

— PA Capital-Star: Advocates: Shapiro Must Fix PA’s ‘Broken’ Unemployment System

— LancasterOnline: Lancaster County Unemployment Falls To 20-Year Low

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